Ratcheting mechanism



A. SIMON. RAICHETING MECHIWISM,L APPLICATION FILED jUNEZB. 191s.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY 40 which,

TCHETING' To all whom it mag/concern Be it known that, l, ARTHUR Sir/ion, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Milwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of l fisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ratcheting Mechanisrns,'of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, 0 forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to solenoid ratcheting mechanisms and the like wherein successive strokes of a solenoid plunger are required for the desired operation of a driven part.

Tn practice there are numerous instances where a self controlling mechanism of such character would be very desirable but much dificulty has been experienced in providing 2 for satisfactory self control of such mecha nisms due to the tendency of the proposed control means to curtail the strokes of the solenoid plunger or plungers.

The present invention has among its ch- 5 jects to overcome the aforesaid and other difli'culties met with in such mechanisms and to provide a self controlling mechanism wherein the solenoid plunger or plungers will be permitted attraction to the full exgotent thereof and will likewise be permitted full return movement for successive strokes. A further object is to provide a simple, compact and durable ratcheting mechanism of unit construction for ready attachment to field rheostats and other devices.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

Oneembodiment of the invention is illustrated .in the accompanying drawing in Figure '1 is a front elevation of the mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view; and Fig. i is a diagrammatic view showing one circuit arrangement for the mechanism. In 1 general the mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 1 driving through a shaft 2 a pinion 3 in turn meshing with and driving a gear 4 which constitutes the driven mem-' ber, pawls v5 and 6 cooperating with said ratchet wheel, solenoids 7 and 8 to actuate 7 said pawls respectively, and switches 9 and 10 to control said solenoids respectively, all

ran

Specification of Letters Fatent.

entice.

ARTHUR STMGN, @F MILWAUKEE, WTSC@1YSIN, ASSIGNUR, 252 I MFG. CG, @F MILWAUKEE, 'WTSGQENSTN, A CGEPGRATEON ou'rnnannnrnrnn' or WISCGNSIN.

MEfilHi-TNISRE.

Patented Feb. 1, 12211.

gerial No. 105,938.

of said parts being carried by a unitaryss frame 11. I

The frame 11 is provided with supporting lugs 12, 13 and 141- for attachment to a panel or other suitable base and comprises inagnetic material. It is so formed as to proto vide complete frames for the solenoids and an intermediate part for the support of the mechanical element specified. More specifically the frame is centrally bored to receive a stud or spindle 15 upon which the gear 4: is mounted in the rear of said frame while at its lower end said frame is provided with spaced bearings 16 and 17 (Fig. 2) for the shaft 2 carrying the ratchet wheel and pinion 3 and with a holding detent 18 for the 7o ratchet wheel yieldable to said wheel when positively driven. The frame is recessed on opposite sides of a central portion to receive the solenoid windings and is provided with tubular extensions to receive the solenoid plungers, said extensions having suitably fixed thereto non-magnetic collars 19 serving as down stops for said plungers.

The ratchet wheel is mounted on the shaft 2 directly back of the bearings 16 and the so pawls 5 and 6 (Fig. 3) are supported upon levers 20 and 21 loosely mounted upon said shaft immediately back of said ratchet wheel. The hubs of these levers are recessed to receive a coil spring 22, said spring acting upon said levers to bias the same in opposite directions and both downwardly. The pawls are formed to straddle their respectlve levers and are connected thereto by pins. 23 whereby they are permitted a rockso 'ing movement independently of their levers Also, the pawls are connected by pins 24 to actuating links 25 adapted for connection to the plungers of the solenoids. Thus as will be apparent each pawl will tend to assume the position of the right hand pawl (Fig.

1) and hence free the ratchet wheel, whereas a pull exerted upon its link will throw it into engagement with said ratchet wheel and thereupon rotate both about the axis of shaft 2.

The solenoids are of like construction, and referring to the solenoid shown in section, the same includes a winding secured in theframe in the usual manner by a brass tube 26, a movable plunger 27 connected to link 25 and an auxiliary plunger 28 provided with a threaded extension 29 for conthereto to prevent sticking of said plunger to the magnet frame and the ma net frame is provided with a non-magnetic bushmg 31 surrounding the auxiliary plunger to prevent the latter from sticking to said frame.

The two control switches are also of like construction and describing that of the solenoid just described, the same includes (Fig. 2) two relatively stationary contact fingers 32 and 33 suitably mounted upon the frame 11 and a movable bridging contact 34. The bridging contact comprises a tube mounted upon and insulated from a spindle 35 carried by and between bifurcated parts of a bell crank lever 36 ,(Fig. 1). The lever 36 is supported upon a spindle 37 carried by and between extensions 38 of the supporting frame, said lever and extensions having cooperating parts 40 and 4l,to limit the movement of the former in both directions. The end of the lever is connected to the extension of the auxiliary plunger 28, said connection comprising a block 42 attached to said lever and into which the extension threads for purposes of adjustment, Thus attraction of the auxiliary plunger tends to move the bridging contact from engagement with the stationary contacts while said lever is provided on opposite sides of the stationary contacts with weights 43 and 44 tending to effect engagement of said contacts and in consequence. tending to raise the auxiliary plunger of the solenoid.

As will be understood each switch provides for making and breaking the circuit of its respective solenoid and in consequence eachso-lenoid upon responding tends through its main plunger to actuate the ratchet wheel and through its auxiliary plunger to interrupt its own circuit. .It will be observed, however, that the inertia of the weighted switch lever opposes the attraction of the auxiliary plunger while on the other hand the self induction of the solenoid retards the building up of its flux during the movement of the main plunger. Accordingly with the relation of parts illustrated only a comparatively few magnetic lines of force initially stray through the auxiliary plunger so that the weight and inertia of the switch parts may be relied upon to restrainthe auxplunger as described does not move the switch lever to its full extent and that said lever is thereafter capable of further movement in the same direction prior to arrest by its stops 41. Also, it is to be noted that the degree of movement of the switch lever by attraction of the auxiliary plunger and the normal position of said plunger in the magnetic field of the solenoid may be varied as desired by the adjustable connection between such lever and plunger.

When the solenoid is deenergized and its main plunger makes its return stroke, the residual magnetism, eddy currents and inertia of the switch parts cause the auxiliary plunger to follow the main plunger until the former is checked by its down stops 41 or at least until it has moved an appreciable distance. This provides a time element in the reclosure of the control switch in addition to the inherent time element of the switch due to the separation of its contacts and as will be apparent the inertia of the switch parts and of the auxiliary plunger tends to prolong such additional time element. Accordingly a substantial time element is thus provided for the return stroke of the solenoid plunger which by reason of its weight and that of its connected parts acquires suflicient momentum to insure a full return stroke thereof prior to re-attraotion even though the solenoid circuit be reclosed slightly prior to completion of such stroke. Moreover, the self induction of the solenoid would further delay re-attraction of the plunger, under such conditions.

Thus upon completion of the circuit of either solenoid, assuming the circuit connections to be as illustrated in Fig. 4, a step by step movement of the driven member may be obtained and continued automatically until the circuit is permanently opened by a suitable control switch S. Also, as will be understood, the two solenoids provide for reverse operations of the driven member selectively.

As illustrated, the mechanism is particularly adapted for operating field rheostats, the same being adapted to be attached to the rear of the panel carrying such rheostat and its driven gear 4 being provided with suitable lugs 45 to interlock with the rheostat part to be operated.

It is, of course, to be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1; In combination, a member to be operated, a solenoid having a reci rocable plunger, an operative connection etween said member and said plunger providing for a step by step operation of the former upon successive reciprocations of the latter and means mechanically free from said plunger for intermittently energizing and deenergizing said solenoid after completion of the strokes of said plunger, said means being associated with said solenoid to be electromagnetically controlled thereby.

2. In combination, a member to be open ated, a solenoid having a reciprocable plunger, an operative connection between said member and said plunger providing for a step by step operation of the former upon successive reciprocations of the latter and means to intermittently energize and deenergize said solenoid, said means being electromagnetically controlled by said solenoid and being mechanically free from said plunger but subject to control thereby delay energization and deenergization of said solenoid pending completion of the strokes of said plunger.

3. In combination, a member to be operated, a solenoid for operating said member by successive strokes of its plunger, and a circuit making and breaking device for said solenoid electromagnetically controlled thereby to permit a full stroke of the solenoid plunger prior to interruption of circuit and magnetically controlled for delay in reestablishment of circuit.

4:. In combination, a member to be operated, a solenoid for operating the same by successive strokes of its plunger, and a circuit making and breaking device for said solenoid having an actuating part in the magnetic field of said solenoid but responsive only after a full stroke of the solenoid plunger, said actuating part also tending by magnetic attraction to follow the plunger of said solenoid after interruption of the current supply to the latter, to thereby delay reestablishment of circuit.

5. In combination, a member to be oper= ated, a solenoid having a main plunger to actuate said member and an auxiliary plun= ger, and a circuit making and breaking device for said solenoid controlled by said auxiliary plunger, said auxiliary plunger being responsive to efiect interruption of circuit but only after full stroke of said main plunger and being subject to further movement in attracted direction upon the return stroke of said main plunger to delay the reclosure of the circuit of said solenoid,

6. In combination, a member to be oper ated, a solenoid to be intermittently ener= gized to operate said member, said solenoid having a main plunger for actuating said member and an auxiliary plunger, and a circuit making and breaking device for said solenoid connected to said auxiliary plunger to be actuated thereby for interrupting circuit and being weighted for opposing traction of said auxiliary plunger and for restoration to circuit closing position, said auxiliary plunger being disposed in the magnetic field of said solenoid to be at tracted only after lull attraction of said main plunger and being subject to attraction to said main plunger during the return stroke thereof to thereby delay reestablish= ment of circuit by said device.

7. In a solenoid operated mechanism, in combination, a solenoid having a plunger,

a circuit controlling switch therefor biased V to one position, and an operative connection between said switch and solenoid including a magnetic part arranged within the magnetic field of said solenoid for attraction to operate said switch against its bias but only after full attraction of said plunger, said magnetic part being subject to arrest by said plunger and also to continued movement thereby through magnetic attraction, when said plunger is released upon deenergization of said solenoid, whereby the return of said switch to normal position is delayed pending full return movement of said plunger.

8. In a solenoid operated mechanism, in combination, a solenoid having a reciprocable plunger, a circuit making and breaking switch therefor biased to closed position, an operative connection between said switch and said solenoid including a magnetic part arranged within the magnetic field of said solenoid for attraction to open said switch, but only after full attraction of said plunger, said magnetic part being subject to arrest by said plunger and also to continued movement therewith due to the magnetic attraction therebetween, whensaid plunger moves away from attracted position and means limiting such continued movement of said magnetic part to thereby insure release of said switch, but permitting sufiicient continued movement of said magnetic part to enable full return movement of said plunger prior to reclosure of said switch In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name,

ARTHUR SIMON. 

